State Capitol Reporter

Community Radio for Northern Colorado; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Community Radio for Northern Colorado seeks a Denver-based State Capitol Reporter to cover Colorado state government, politics, elections, and public policy for radio, digital, and social platforms. You’ll explain the legislative process and how Capitol decisions affect Colorado communities.

Produce daily newscasts and digital stories, cover hearings and elections, develop sources, use public records and data, and collaborate with the Capitol Editor/Reporter and partners on projects and a weekly

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of professional journalism experience.
• Reporting, writing, editing, and producing for broadcast and digital publication.
• Strong editorial judgment and AP style adherence.
• On-air ability including voicing stories and conducting interviews.
• Experience with data reporting and visualizations.
• Understanding FCC guidelines for broadcast journalism.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments with accuracy.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate with teams.
• Familiarity with Colorado/Northern Colorado context preferred.

Responsibilities

• Report, write, voice, and produce original coverage of Colorado state government, politics, elections, and public policy.
• Produce timely daily newscasts and digital stories with sound-rich features.
• Cover legislative hearings, bill introductions, budget actions, and elections.
• Identify original stories that explain the legislative process.
• Develop and maintain diverse sources and contacts.
• Use public records and data analysis to produce authoritative reporting.
• Create journalism reflecting diverse communities and addressing inequities.
• Collaborate with Capitol Editor/Reporter and partners on projects and podcasts.
• Pitch original daily and enterprise story ideas.
• Engage audiences and participate in meetings.
• Assist in newsroom coverage during elections and breaking news.

Skills

Editorial judgment

AP style

Interviewing

Audio production

Broadcast journalism

Data reporting

Multitasking

Public records

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in media/communications

Tools

Adobe Audition

WideOrbit

Dropbox

Microsoft Office

Job description

The State Capitol Reporter produces relevant, original, and engaging coverage of Colorado state government, politics, elections, and public policy for radio, digital, social, and other platforms. Coverage will explain the legislative process and show how decisions made at the Capitol affect communities throughout Colorado.

This Denver-based position works closely with the Capitol Editor/Reporter. They also collaborate with news teams from partner organizations. The reporter position is part of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance, a grant-funded editorial collaboration.

The successful candidate will have strong reporting, writing, on-air, and audio-production skills, along with experience covering politics, government, public policy, or related topics. Experience producing journalism for both broadcast and digital publication is required.

Key responsibilities

• Report, write, voice, and produce original coverage of Colorado state government, politics, elections, and public policy for radio, digital, social, and other editorial platforms.
• Produce timely daily newscast and digital stories, as well as sound-rich features, enterprise reporting, and longer-term projects that provide context and accountability.
• Cover legislative hearings, bill introductions, budget actions, elections, press conferences, and other developments involving lawmakers, the governor, state agencies, and political organizations.
• Identify and pursue original stories that explain the legislative process and demonstrate how state policies and political decisions affect Colorado residents.
• Develop and maintain a broad and diverse network of sources, including elected officials, public employees, policy experts, advocates, community members, and people directly affected by government decisions.
• Use public-records laws, including the Colorado Open Records Act and federal Freedom of Information Act, as well as data analysis, original documents, factchecking, and verification to produce authoritative reporting.
• Produce journalism that reflects the experiences of Colorado's diverse communities, elevates voices that are frequently underrepresented, and examines systemic inequities and institutional failures.
• Collaborate with the Capitol Editor/Reporter, KUNC newsroom staff, and Colorado Capitol News Alliance partners on daily coverage, enterprise projects, a weekly political podcast, and digital and social video.
• Consistently develop and pitch original daily, enterprise, investigative, and project-based story ideas.
• Use audience-engagement practices to identify community questions, emerging concerns, and topics of importance to listeners and readers.
• Participate actively in newsroom editorial, planning, and project meetings and contribute to coverage produced for KUNC programs, NPR, and other distribution partners when appropriate.

Additional responsibilities

• Maintain an active professional presence on relevant social media platforms to distribute reporting, engage audiences, identify sources, and follow developing stories.
• Participate in interviews, public events, audience-engagement activities, and station promotional efforts related to the reporter's work or the project.
• Participate in on-air fundraising and other station development activities as needed.
• Support coordinated newsroom coverage during elections, breaking news, and other major events.

Required qualifications

• Minimum of three years of professional journalism experience, including reporting, writing, editing, and producing stories for broadcast and digital publication.
• Strong editorial judgment and demonstrated ability to produce accurate, fair, balanced, and engaging journalism consistent with AP style and professional ethics.
• Strong interviewing, research, writing, editing, and audio-production skills.
• Demonstrated on-air ability, including voicing recorded stories, conducting interviews, and contributing to live or breaking-news coverage.
• Experience using professional recording and editing equipment and newsroom production, publishing, automation, and collaboration systems. KUNC uses Adobe Audition, WideOrbit, Dropbox, and Microsoft applications; experience with comparable professional tools and the ability to learn new systems are required.
• Demonstrated understanding of digital and social media platforms, audience-engagement practices, and effective distribution of news content across multiple platforms.
• Experience using data in reporting and creating or supporting data visualizations.
• Basic familiarity with FCC guidelines and requirements applicable to broadcast journalism.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, deadlines, and competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, adapt to changing newsroom priorities and technologies, and collaborate effectively with colleagues, sources, community members, and external partners.
• Ability to connect global, national, state, and regional issues to the interests and needs of communities in the KUNC listening area. Familiarity with Northern Colorado is preferred but not required; the successful candidate must be able to quickly develop regional knowledge and sources.
• Demonstrated professionalism, integrity, accountability, and commitment to public-service journalism.
• Demonstrated commitment to serving diverse audiences and contributing to an inclusive and respectful workplace.

Preferred qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in media, communications, or related field.
• At least three years' experience in the field reporting or editing.
• Valid Colorado driver's license.
• Must reside in Colorado.
• Bilingual in Spanish is helpful.